I 



mm-m-'s journal, 8;^ 



CHAPTER IV, 



mocha; AREIVAL AT Vi^LPARAISO, AND DEPARTURE* 



The island of Mocha is high, and may be seen at a great 

 distance. On the north part, the land gradually tapers to 

 a long low point, off which lie some rocks, at the distance 

 of a quarter of a mile. On the west side is a long, narrow, 

 and, were it not for the height of the island, a dangerous r^ef, 

 extending three leagues, on which, during a heavy swell, 

 the water breaks with great violence. At the anchorage, 

 81. ship is sheltered from the westerly and southerly winds, 

 hut is exposed'to those from the north and east ; the latter, 

 however, seldom blows with violence on the coast. 



As soon as the ship anchored, the boats were got out, and 

 myself and several of the officers went on shore. The sea 

 was beating furiously against the beach and rocks that skirt 

 the shore, and it was some time before we could find a land- 

 ing place ; at length, however, we found one a short dis- 

 tance to the north of an extensive sandy beach, in a small 

 cove formed by the rocks, and protected from the sea by a 

 small reef: here we found the water perfectly smooth. As 

 we had been surrounded with seals and birds of different 

 kinds as we ran in 5 and had seen, with our spyglasses, se- 

 veral hogs and horses on shore, I permitted the officers, and 

 the most careful of the men, to take muskets with them, 

 and in the course of a few hours, we had killed and got down 

 to the boats, ten hogs, with some young pigs, which the 

 seamen had run down, and were about embarking with them 

 at dusk of the evening. But seeing a drove of horses com- 

 ing along, and every one being anxious to fire, and feeling 

 apprehensive of some accident, I directed them to conceal 

 themselves behind the boats that were hauled on the beach, 

 and not to fire until I had fired, intending to reserve my shof; 

 vmtil they had got to a position where all could fire with- 

 out the least danger of accident. I accordingly fired, and 

 was succeeded by a volley ; one horse was crippled, and the 

 seamen ran forv^^ard with clubs to knock him down. They 



